How to Change Text in WooCommerce: A Beginner’s Guide
WooCommerce is a fantastic platform for building an online store, but sometimes you need to tweak the default text to better suit your brand or target audience. Maybe you want to change “Add to Cart” to “Grab Yours Now!” or modify the “Out of Stock” message. Don’t worry, you don’t need to be a coding wizard to achieve this! This guide will walk you through several easy methods to change text in WooCommerce, even if you’re a complete beginner.
Why Would You Want to Change WooCommerce Text?
There are many reasons why you might want to customize the text in your WooCommerce store:
- Branding: Align the text with your brand’s voice and personality. For example, a fun, quirky brand might use more playful language than a serious, professional one.
- Clarity: Sometimes, the default text isn’t clear enough for your customers. You might need to rephrase it to avoid confusion. Imagine you’re selling downloadable knitting patterns. Instead of “Download” after purchase, you could say “Access Your Knitting Pattern Here!”.
- Localization: Translate your store into another language or adapt the text to a specific region.
- Conversions: A well-crafted call to action can significantly improve your conversion rates. “Add to Cart” is functional, but “Buy Now and Get 10% Off!” is far more enticing.
- Search for “Add to Cart” in Loco Translate.
- In the “Translation” box, type “Grab Yours Now!”.
- Save your changes.
- Original string: The text you want to replace (e.g., “Add to Cart”).
- Text domain: This is usually “woocommerce”.
- Context: This can often be left blank, but if you have trouble finding the right string, try inspecting the WooCommerce code to find the specific context.
- Replacement string: The new text you want to use (e.g., “Buy Now”).
- Original string: Out of stock
- Text domain: woocommerce
- Context: (Leave blank initially, but inspect code if needed)
- Replacement string: Currently Unavailable
Method 1: Using the Loco Translate Plugin (The Easiest Way)
Loco Translate is a free WordPress plugin that makes translating and modifying text incredibly simple. It’s the recommended method for beginners because it’s user-friendly and doesn’t require any coding.
Here’s how to use Loco Translate:
1. Install and Activate Loco Translate: Go to your WordPress dashboard, navigate to Plugins > Add New, search for “Loco Translate,” install, and activate it.
2. Find Your WooCommerce Translations: In your WordPress dashboard, go to Loco Translate > Plugins. You’ll see a list of your installed plugins, including WooCommerce.
3. Create a New Translation: Click on WooCommerce. You’ll likely want to create a new translation for your WordPress language. Look for the “New Translation” button.
4. Choose Your Language: Select the language you want to translate or modify. Typically, you’ll choose your site’s current language.
5. Start Translating (Modifying!): You’ll see a list of all the translatable strings in WooCommerce. Simply search for the text you want to change (e.g., “Add to Cart”).
6. Enter Your New Text: In the “Translation” box, enter your desired text.
7. Save Your Changes: Click the “Save” button.
8. Clear Cache: If you’re using a caching plugin, clear your cache to ensure the changes are visible.
Example: To change “Add to Cart” to “Grab Yours Now!”:
Loco Translate automatically creates translation files within your WordPress installation. When WooCommerce updates, you’ll likely need to re-apply your translations, but Loco Translate usually makes this easy.
Method 2: Using the Say What? Plugin
Similar to Loco Translate, the Say What? plugin provides a simple way to replace text strings without directly editing code.
Here’s Read more about How To Offer Free Shipping On Woocommerce how to use Say What?:
1. Install and Activate the Plugin: Go to Plugins > Add New, search for “Say What?”, install, and activate it.
2. Add a Discover insights on How To Add Woocommerce Shop Page New Text Change: Go to Tools > Text Changes and click “Add New”.
3. Fill in the Form:
4. Add the Change: Click “Add”.
5. Clear Cache: Clear your website’s cache if you’re using a caching plugin.
Example: Suppose you want to change “Out of stock” to “Currently Unavailable.”
Method 3: Using Code (For More Advanced Users)
This method involves adding code snippets to your theme’s `functions.php` file or using a code snippets plugin. Be very careful Learn more about How To Manage User Accounts In Woocommerce when editing your `functions.php` file, as errors can break your site. It’s always recommended to back up your site before making any changes to code.
Example: Changing “Add to Cart” text:
add_filter( 'woocommerce_product_add_to_cart_text', 'woo_custom_cart_button_text' ); // 2.1 +
function woo_custom_cart_button_text() {
return __( ‘Buy Now!’, ‘woocommerce’ );
}
Explanation:
- `add_filter()`: This function hooks into a specific WooCommerce filter. In this case, `woocommerce_product_add_to_cart_text` filters the “Add to Cart” button text.
- `woo_custom_cart_button_text()`: This is the function that will modify the text.
- `__( ‘Buy Now!’, ‘woocommerce’ )`: This function translates the text “Buy Now!” and makes it available for translation. The `’woocommerce’` part is the text domain.
Important Considerations:
- Child Theme: Always use a child theme when making changes to your theme’s files. This prevents your changes from being overwritten when you update your theme.
- Code Snippets Plugin: Alternatively, use a plugin like “Code Snippets” to add code without directly editing your theme files. Explore this article on How To Edit Product Numbers Woocommerce Shop Page This is a safer and more organized approach.
Choosing the Right Method
- Beginners: Loco Translate and Say What? are the best options due to their ease of use.
- Intermediate Users: If you’re comfortable with basic code, you can use the code snippets method.
- Advanced Users: Developers might prefer creating custom plugins for more complex text modifications.
Testing Your Changes
After making any text changes, thoroughly test your store. Make sure the changes are displayed correctly on all pages, including product pages, cart pages, and checkout pages. Also, test different product types (e.g., simple products, variable products) to ensure the changes are consistent.
By following these methods, you can easily change text in WooCommerce and create a more personalized and effective online store for your customers. Good luck!
